Citations! 1. University of Washington. "Brown Tree Snake Could Mean Guam Will Lose More Than Its Birds." ScienceDaily 10 August 2008. 13
November 2008 <http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2008/08/080808090313.htm>.
2. Out of Control!: The Brown Tree Snake.(the brown tree snake on Guam has virtually destroyed the island's bird population, and there is
fear that it may be spreading to Hawaii). PAM CALVERT. Odyssey9.4 (April 2000): p23. 3.Invasion of the tree snakes and other coming infestations. (control of predators not native to regions)(2000: The Millennium Notebook).
heodore Gideonse. Newsweekv130.n4 (July 28, 1997): pp13(1). 4. "The Brown Treesnake"U.S. Department of the Interior.http://www.fort.usgs.gov/resources/education/bts/bioeco/btsnake.asp.
5. Brown Tree Snake. http://www.aphis.usda.gov/lpa/pubs/fsheet_faq_notice/fs_wsbtsnake.html. Last modified november 10th. U.S
department of agriculture.
6. Pictures from google images.
Photograph of a Brown Tree Snake eating a bird. USGS Photo by T.H. Fritts.
A. General information Scientific name: The scientific name of the brown tree snake is the Boiga irregularis.
Appearance of the Brown tree Snake: The brown tree snake is generally 3-6 feet in length. This snake has been able to attain lengths of over 10 feet on Guam where food supplies are more reachable and conditions for long survival are more ideal.(1) The snake is long and thin, which facilitates its exceptional climbing ability and allows it to pass through tiny spaces in buildings, where it seeks undisturbed refuge during daylight hours.(1) Variations in color occur in the snake's native range, ranging from a light brown to a yellowish/green or even a red with saddle-shaped blotches. The coloration is more consistently patterned in a brown/olive green with shadowlike markings, which camouflage it well in the foliage.(1)The brown Treesnake is known to eat a wide variety of foods, a factor then that helps make it such an effective colonizer. Both the snakes constriction and venom are used to help immobilize prey. B. Detalied description Reproduction information: The reproductive characteristics of the brown Tree snake are poorly known. The female produces 4-12 oblong eggs, 42-47 mm long and 18-22 mm wide.(4) They have a leathery like shell that oftens stick together after the shell has dried. The female deposits the eggs in logs, rock crevices, and other sites where they are likely protected from drying and high temperatures(4) The timing of the female producing eggs may depend on seasonal variations in climate and predator abundance. Diet: The brown Tree snake is known to eat a wide variety of foods. These snakes eat frogs, lizards, small mammals, birds, and birds' eggs. Having nearly used up the bird populations on Guam, larger snakes have been found scavenging garbage and even sneaking in to steal food out of dumpsters.(3) C. Habitat and distribution How has it spread: It is believed to have arrived in Guam through cargo, transported by ships or planes in world war II . These sightings clearly demonstrate the possibility of snakes being transported to defenseless locations. Where does it live: The brown tree snake is anative of Australia, Papua New Guinea, and the Solomon Islands. It has orginated to the U.S and Guam. D. Impacts Negative empacts: The Boiga irregularis, has practically wiped out all bird life in the forested areas of Guam.Twelve species of birds, including two found only on Guam, have gone missing forever.(2) With no natural predators, the browntreesnake's population has reached an incredible 5,000 snakes per square kilometer, or 13,000 per square mile(2) The snake now has to prey on lizards, and small mammals, also including pets. Two hundred venomous bites have occurred since 1978. These bites have occurred mostly on children under the age of 4, mostly because the brown tree sanke fears adults.Fortunately, no deaths have occurred from the venomous brown tree sanke. Nevertheless, scientists agree that the case of the browntreesnake on Guam is the worst example of an introduced predator out of control on an island.(1)The brown tree snake has caused an extensive amount of economic and ecological damage to Guam. It is responsible for numerous power outages across the island each year. (6) Postive impacts: Although the brown tree snake is very dangerous and has given mostly negative effects on the enviroment, this venoumous snake has two possible positve effects to contribute. The brown tree snake is possibly changing tree distributions and reducing native tree populations.(1)
E. History Where did this organism come from?: The brown tree snake was accicedentally introduced to Guam in the 1940's, and early 1950's from New Guinne. How did the species get there?: These species arrived at at Guam through military cargo planes that transported supplies from New Guinea to Guam's military during world war II.
F. Control measures Do we activly try to climinatc these species: Over the past three decades, the population of the brown tree snake has rose from 800,000 to almost 3 million. Because of these statistics, there is a major need to decrease their population, but managing sa nakes population is very difficult.(2)Encouraging recreational hunting is one option, though it's unlikely to make a great improvement. More efficient methods, like killing the animals, tend to prompt public outcry.(2) Nobody much cares for tree snakes, but keeping them from leaving Guam is ultimately more important than letting them increase in numbers.(3) One attempt to help the spread of brown tree snakes that they are trying to stop the spread of the brown tree sanke is by using snake-sniffing dogs to check outgoing cargos leaving Guam. The most natural method of controlling outbreaks of biological control is by bringing in a predator or enemy.(3)
1. University of Washington. "Brown Tree Snake Could Mean Guam Will Lose More Than Its Birds." ScienceDaily 10 August 2008. 13
November 2008 <http://www.sciencedaily.com /releases/2008/08/080808090313.htm>.
2. Out of Control!: The Brown Tree Snake.(the brown tree snake on Guam has virtually destroyed the island's bird population, and there is
fear that it may be spreading to Hawaii). PAM CALVERT.
Odyssey 9.4 (April 2000): p23.
3.Invasion of the tree snakes and other coming infestations. (control of predators not native to regions)(2000: The Millennium Notebook).
heodore Gideonse. Newsweek v130.n4 (July 28, 1997): pp13(1).
4. "The Brown Treesnake"U.S. Department of the Interior.http://www.fort.usgs.gov/resources/education/bts/bioeco/btsnake.asp.
5. Brown Tree Snake. http://www.aphis.usda.gov/lpa/pubs/fsheet_faq_notice/fs_wsbtsnake.html. Last modified november 10th. U.S
department of agriculture.
6. Pictures from google images.
A. General information
Scientific name: The scientific name of the brown tree snake is the Boiga irregularis.
Appearance of the Brown tree Snake: The brown tree snake is generally 3-6 feet in length. This snake has been able to attain lengths of over 10 feet on Guam where food supplies are more reachable and conditions for long survival are more ideal.(1) The snake is long and thin, which facilitates its exceptional climbing ability and allows it to pass through tiny spaces in buildings, where it seeks undisturbed refuge during daylight hours.(1) Variations in color occur in the snake's native range, ranging from a light brown to a yellowish/green or even a red with saddle-shaped blotches. The coloration is more consistently patterned in a brown/olive green with shadowlike markings, which camouflage it well in the foliage.(1)The brown Treesnake is known to eat a wide variety of foods, a factor then that helps make it such an effective colonizer. Both the snakes constriction and venom are used to help immobilize prey.
B. Detalied description
Reproduction information: The reproductive characteristics of the brown Tree snake are poorly known. The female produces 4-12 oblong eggs, 42-47 mm long and 18-22 mm wide.(4) They have a leathery like shell that oftens stick together after the shell has dried. The female deposits the eggs in logs, rock crevices, and other sites where they are likely protected from drying and high temperatures(4) The timing of the female producing eggs may depend on seasonal variations in climate and predator abundance.
Diet: The brown Tree snake is known to eat a wide variety of foods. These snakes eat frogs, lizards, small mammals, birds, and birds' eggs. Having nearly used up the bird populations on Guam, larger snakes have been found scavenging garbage and even sneaking in to steal food out of dumpsters.(3)
C. Habitat and distribution
How has it spread: It is believed to have arrived in Guam through cargo, transported by ships or planes in world war II . These sightings clearly demonstrate the possibility of snakes being transported to defenseless locations.
Where does it live: The brown tree snake is anative of Australia, Papua New Guinea, and the Solomon Islands. It has orginated to the U.S and Guam.
D. Impacts
Negative empacts: The Boiga irregularis, has practically wiped out all bird life in the forested areas of Guam.Twelve species of birds, including two found only on Guam, have gone missing forever.(2) With no natural predators, the brown tree snake's population has reached an incredible 5,000 snakes per square kilometer, or 13,000 per square mile(2) The snake now has to prey on lizards, and small mammals, also including pets. Two hundred venomous bites have occurred since 1978. These bites have occurred mostly on children under the age of 4, mostly because the brown tree sanke fears adults.Fortunately, no deaths have occurred from the venomous brown tree sanke. Nevertheless, scientists agree that the case of the brown tree snake on Guam is the worst example of an introduced predator out of control on an island.(1)The brown tree snake has caused an extensive amount of economic and ecological damage to Guam. It is responsible for numerous power outages across the island each year. (6)
Postive impacts: Although the brown tree snake is very dangerous and has given mostly negative effects on the enviroment, this venoumous snake has two possible positve effects to contribute. The brown tree snake is possibly changing tree distributions and reducing native tree populations.(1)
E. History
Where did this organism come from?: The brown tree snake was accicedentally introduced to Guam in the 1940's, and early 1950's from New Guinne.
How did the species get there?: These species arrived at at Guam through military cargo planes that transported supplies from New Guinea to Guam's military during world war II.
F. Control measures
Do we activly try to climinatc these species: Over the past three decades, the population of the brown tree snake has rose from 800,000 to almost 3 million. Because of these statistics, there is a major need to decrease their population, but managing sa nakes population is very difficult.(2)Encouraging recreational hunting is one option, though it's unlikely to make a great improvement. More efficient methods, like killing the animals, tend to prompt public outcry.(2) Nobody much cares for tree snakes, but keeping them from leaving Guam is ultimately more important than letting them increase in numbers.(3) One attempt to help the spread of brown tree snakes that they are trying to stop the spread of the brown tree sanke is by using snake-sniffing dogs to check outgoing cargos leaving Guam. The most natural method of controlling outbreaks of biological control is by bringing in a predator or enemy.(3)